PQC Ready · practical transition guidance
The six-phase PQC transition pathway
Follow the PQC Ready pathway from exposure awareness and cryptographic evidence to migration planning, execution and assurance.
Published and reviewed 15 September 2026 · PQC Ready, a brand of SDTC Solutions Ltd
Start with a decision, not a tool
The pathway connects six areas of work. Each phase needs an agreed scope, responsible people and a clear decision about what comes next. The public pathway describes the delivery approach; it does not mean that every phase is available as a self-service application.
1. Quantum exposure awareness
Use the Quick Scan to start the conversation, then a deeper assessment where appropriate. Establish which information, services and suppliers matter and where self-reported answers need stronger evidence.
2. Cryptographic assessment
Build the inventory and dependency picture from authorised observations, exports, documentation and supplier evidence. Record what has been verified, what is inferred and what remains unknown.
3. Business continuity optimisation
Connect cryptographic dependencies to critical activities, recovery needs and long-lived confidentiality. Test decision-making through scoped disruption scenarios and close the gaps identified.
4. Transition and migration planning
Prioritise migration waves using risk, dependencies, supplier readiness and change constraints. Define acceptance criteria, test coverage, fallback arrangements and ownership before scheduling changes.
5. Execution of the migration plan
Implementation requires an agreed delivery model and approved scope. Begin with bounded pilots, verify interoperability and recovery, and retain evidence before expanding deployment. This is not an automatic consequence of completing a scan.
6. Continuous assurance
Review changes to systems, standards and suppliers. Keep the inventory and exceptions current, and reopen earlier work when a material dependency changes.